W32.Relnek.A

W32.Relnek.A is a nasty new Trojan making the rounds on the internet. I’m not yet sure what W32.Relnek.A uses to get onto your computer but W32.Relnek.A is known for generating the following popups:

Foobar has encountered a problem and needs to close.
We are sorry for the inconvenience.
If you were in the middle of something, the information you were working on might be lost.
Please tell Microsoft about the problem.
We have created an error report that you can send to us. We will treat this report as confidential and anonymous.
To see what data this error report contains, click here.

C:\Blah.exe is not a valid W32 application.

There are no manual removal instructions for W32.Relnek.A yet but we can use the error messages it causes to our advantage.

Click Start > Run: Type MSCONFIG, Click OK, Uncheck “Load Startup Items“, click OK and restart your computer when prompted.

Now make your way to the C: and find and delete Blah.exe if it is there.

Click Start > Search, in “What do you want to search for?” Click “All files and folders.” Do a search for Foobar and delete any folder or file using this name.

This may not work and even if it does, it wont completely remove W32.Relnek.A. This is just a stopgap measure until proper removal instruction for W32.Relnek.A become available. Only a legit security program will completely remove W32.Relnek.A at the moment.

(FYI: for some links to software we receive a commission. This is one of them. But we wouldn’t recommend Spyware Doctor if we didn’t think it would help.)

Popularity: 2% [?]

Windows XP Stopping Mainstream Support

Alot of websites are talking about Microsoft ending mainstream support for Windows XP on April 30th 2009.

What does this mean?

On April 14 2009 you will no longer be able to get free live support from Microsoft for Windows XP. How many of you use that? Microsoft will also only release security updates for Windows XP from April 14th as before they released both security updates and bug fixes. This is happening because Windows XP has been succeeded by Windows Vista and Microsoft wants to phase out it’s aging but still widely used operating system.

So what does this mean for those of us that still use Windows XP?

Nothing.

XP is not going to suddenly stop working after April 14 and it’s such a popular operating system that programs and drivers are still going to be written for it so you don’t have to worry about being left with an outdated computer.

You can safely use Windows XP until April 8 2014 when Microsoft retires it. That will be when you will need to look at a new computer or new operating system. In the mean time, continue to sit back and continue use Windows XP. I am.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Anti-Virus Number-1

Anti-Virus Number-1 is the number 1 fake antivirus program that tries to con you out of your money.

As this is Anti-Virus Number-1, you just know that you are going to get number 1 fake security alerts for threats that aren’t even on the computer to try and trick you into buying the full version. The good news is you don’t have to bother buying the full version of Anti-Virus Number-1. What you are seeing now is all Anti-Virus Number-1 can do.

You can try and manually remove Anti-Virus Number-1 with these instructions. Be sure to do a scan with Spyware Doctor to find the number 1 Trojan that put Anti-Virus Number-1 on your computer.

(FYI: for some links to software we receive a commission. This is one of them. But we wouldn’t recommend Spyware Doctor if we didn’t think it would help.)

Popularity: 2% [?]

WinCoDecPRO

WinCoDecPRO is yet another fake antivir….. wait we have got something different here, a fake media player.

According to 2-spyware.com, WinCoDecPRO generates the following popups:

Fatal Error: The media system on your computer is corrupt. Update your video codec immediately to resolve this issue.

Warning, media codec on your computer has been destroyed. Risk of loosing your audio video files high. To resolve this issue, update your media codec immediately.

Warning! Fatal Error: all Media systems on your computer have been crashed.

Attention! Media components on your computer have been corrupted due to a fatal error. Your system can’t play audio video files and use media applications!

To resolve this issue and restore your system, update your media codec immediately!.

These warnings are fake and you can still play your media files. Ignore whatever “Program of the XXI Century” says. Seriously, that’s how WinCoDecPRO’s website describes it.

Unfortunately their aren’t any instructions to manually remove WinCoDecPRO yet. Your best bet is to find and delete any folder named “WinCoDecPRO” however that wont completely remove the infection. For now, only running a program like Spyware Doctor will completely remove WinCoDecPRO and the Trojan that put it on your computer from your computer.

If you have a dead Mac user on your floor, with a good lawyer you should just get done for manslaughter.

(FYI: for some links to software we receive a commission. This is one of them. But we wouldn’t recommend Spyware Doctor if we didn’t think it would help.)

Popularity: 2% [?]

Virus Remover 2009

Virus Remover 2009 is another fake antivirus program with a boring name that wants to trick you out of your money.

If you think that Virus Remover 2009 is actually going to remove any viruses then think again. The only thing that gets removed is your sanity as you see countless fake alerts for threats that aren’t even on your computer to try and trick you into buying the “full” version of Virus Remover 2009. It’s interesting that Virus Remover 2009 doesn’t detect the Trojan that put it on your computer in the first place

Unfortunately their aren’t any instructions to manually remove Virus Remover 2009 yet. Your best bet is to find and delete any folder named “Virus Remover 2009″ however that wont completely remove the infection. For now, only running a program like Spyware Doctor will completely remove Virus Remover 2009 from your computer.

(FYI: for some links to software we receive a commission. This is one of them. But we wouldn’t recommend Spyware Doctor if we didn’t think it would help.)

Popularity: 2% [?]

Excel Trojan targets unpatched flaws

Another day, another zero-day threat

Virus authors have reportedly created a Trojan that exploits an unpatched vulnerability in a range of versions of Excel.

Virus authors have reportedly created a Trojan that exploits an unpatched vulnerability in a range of versions of Excel.

The malware comes in the form of a maliciously constructed spreadsheet file with a malicious payload identified by McAfee, for example, as the BackDoor-DUE trojan. Many versions of Excel are vulnerable, including 2000, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2004/2008 for Mac, Excel Viewer/Excel Viewer 2003.

Keep reading “Excel Trojan targets unpatched flaws” »

Popularity: 2% [?]

CONFICKER VARIANT DISPENSES WITH NEED TO PHONE HOME

Stealth variant Sidesteps MS-led takedown effort

Virus authors have released a new variant of the infamous Conficker (Downadup) worm with enhanced auto-update features.

The changes in the new strain of the malware, dubbed Conficker B++, make it possible for malware authors to push out new code without publishing it on pre-programmed sites, as with earlier variants. The earlier approach has been frustrated by the recent formation of an alliance led by Microsoft geared up to block and take down sites associated with the worm.

Keep reading “Conficker variant dispenses with need to phone home” »

Popularity: 2% [?]

System Tuner

System Tuner is wonderful new fake system optimization program that I am really fond of.

Unlike those other system optimization that actually optimize your computer, System Tuner does absolutely nothing besides report fake security alerts for threats that aren’t even on the computer to trick you into buying the full version.

I believe System Tuner is a great role model for children. It teaches them that to get through life, you just have to lie, not do anything and constantly nag until you get your way. The fact that System Tuner wont leave your computer even when you tell it to encourages kids to never leave home and to live with Mom and Dad forever.

System Tuner also encourages the the age old tradition of breaking and entering as it most likely got into your computer through a Trojan.

If you are one those “moral fanatics” and don’t like having System Tuner on your computer, you can manually remove System Tuner with these instructions though I don’t know how you will live with yourself. If you feel to guilty removing System Tuner yourself, you can have Spyware Doctor remove System Tuner for you.

(FYI: for some links to software we receive a commission. This is one of them. But we wouldn’t recommend Spyware Doctor if we didn’t think it would help.)

Popularity: 2% [?]

Hdrive Sweeper

Hdrive Sweeper is a rogue fake anti-spyware, sorry rogue system optimization tool.

Despite having a different theme, Hdrive Sweeper does the usual things like generate alerts for threats that aren’t even on the computer to try in order trick you into buying the full version as well as slowing down you computer.

While various websites have posted removal instructions, they are minimal and wont remove the infection. You can try using the Hdrive Sweeper manual removal instructions. but I recommend using Spyware Doctor to remove Hdrive Sweeper instead.

(FYI: for some links to software we receive a commission. This is one of them. But we wouldn’t recommend Spyware Doctor if we didn’t think it would help.)

Popularity: 1% [?]

Spyware Cease

PC Threat is has written about a new fake antispyware program, Spyware Cease. AKA – SpywareCease.

I usually like to get confirmation from multiple sources before naming a program “scam” as I don’t have test a machine to try Spyware Cease on and PC Threat is the only place I can find scam information about Spyware Cease, however PC Threat is a credible source. I can find no reviews for Spyware Cease and it looks like version 2 was released late 2008 with no mention of a version 1 which supports it’s fake anti-spyware status.

It seems that Spyware Cease does the usual things like generate alerts for threats that aren’t even on the computer to try in order trick you into buying the full version as well as slowing down you computer.

If Spyware Cease is causing performing any of these actions, you can remove Spyware Cease with these instructions.

If you have Spyware Cease on your computer but are unsure if it is legit or not, run a free scan of Spyware Doctor to see what it thinks.

(FYI: for some links to software we receive a commission. This is one of them. But we wouldn’t recommend Spyware Doctor if we didn’t think it would help.)

Popularity: 1% [?]

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